Leveling Up Geotechnical Drilling and Sampling

Starting a dozen years ago, running a couple crews a day doing mostly environmental drilling, Northern Drill Service Inc now runs six to seven crews.

“We have a 6620DT that’s used a lot for Phase I environmental,” said Zac Nader, who has been with the company 10 years — first in the field and now as operations manager, maintaining the fleet.

As the company grew, so did requests for geotechnical drilling and sampling. Around 2018, Northern Drill Service added another manufacturer’s rig to its lineup.

“Clients like the size, and it's great for borings where there is overhead limitations or it's limited access,” Nader said. “However, the service and what it takes to keep it running was a challenge. So we wanted something in between that rig and our 6620DT.”

Discovering the 7822DT

At Geoprobe^® Open House 2024, Northern Drill Service found their answer.

“After seeing the 7822DT, we knew it could do the environmental and geotechnical work, taking the heat off the other manufacturer’s rig, while running bigger casing and offering different sampling options than the 6620DT,” Nader said. “The 7822DT is as much geotechnical as it is environmental.”

Confidence in Geoprobe^®

The trip to the factory also shifted Nader’s perspective on Geoprobe^® as a manufacturer.

“After we saw the factory, we understood Geoprobe^® has come a long way from making 66s and 54s. It’s a big-time set up with big-time things going on,” Nader said. “Geoprobe^® has their hands in everything — including water well — and figuring it all out. Nobody else looks like their professional set up in Kansas. When we came home, we understood how Geoprobe^® had taken drilling to the next level.”

Proven in the Field for Geotechnical Drilling and Sampling

On the sands of Cape Cod, the 7822DT proved its worth.

“With the other manufacturer’s rig, it’s a problem driving and pulling casing due to the friction from the sand. The 7822DT has so much pullback, we could drive and pull HW 4-inch casing without a problem,” Nader said. “Other rigs could drill down, but other rigs that size don’t have the pullback to pull the rods back out. The 7822DT has unbelievable pullback, it’s actually kind of crazy.”

One Rig, Many Options

Beyond raw power, the 7822DT impressed Northern Drill Service with its adaptability. The crew points to its:

• Oscillation in multiple directions
• Easy transition from rotary to pneumatic
• Quick switchovers between casing and drive-and-wash

“We can run a crew who, in one package, has multiple options. If one option isn’t working, there’s another option on the table,” Nader said. “Really, if you’re going to start your own business from ground zero, the 7822DT is the rig to do it with. It really hits every niche with one rig. When clients call, you can do anything with it so you don’t have to say ‘no’ to the clients.”

Tooling that Simplifies Fieldwork

Northern Drill Service also sees benefits from Geoprobe^® tooling, particularly the adjustable rod grip puller.

“It’s nice that you don’t have 10 rod pullers. From 1.25 to 3.75, it works for everything, especially when setting wells,” Nader said. “It’s nice to pullback with the adjustable rod grip puller and be able to maintain a visual to ensure the well is staying as compared to having the pull caps at the top.”

Raising the Bar

For Northern Drill Service, the addition of the 7822DT has not only leveled up their fleet but also strengthened their ability to meet customer needs with confidence. From environmental to geotechnical drilling and sampling, the rig has proven itself as a versatile, powerful solution that makes saying “yes” to clients easier than ever.